SEATTLE, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- During the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Seattle, the Cardinal Health Foundation and APhA announced a partnership to encourage pharmacists and student pharmacists to take an active role in preventing the abuse and misuse of prescription medications.

With funding support from the Cardinal Health Foundation, APhA will encourage its pharmacist and student pharmacist members to join the fight to prevent prescription drug abuse through the following initiatives:

APhA will encourage its professional and student members to tap into two comprehensive, easy-to-use communications toolkits, developed by The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and funded by the Cardinal Health Foundation. Available at www.CardinalHealth.com/generationrx, these toolkits contain talking points, presentation materials and tips to make it time efficient and easy for pharmacists and others to discuss the issue of prescription drug abuse in a variety of environments – from civic, community group and parent-teacher association meetings to classroom and youth settings.

Earlier this year, APhA also launched a competition among its 116 APhA Academy of Student Pharmacist (ASP) chapters, challenging them to utilize the GenerationRx toolkit to raise awareness of prescription drug abuse in their communities. Student chapters were encouraged to submit a report summarizing their related work and accomplishments. The top five chapters in this inaugural competition were: Idaho State University, The Ohio State University, University of Florida, University of Illinois at Chicago, and University of Minnesota. These student chapters were recognized during the APhA-ASP Opening General Session; and received a commemorative plaque and cash award in recognition of their work.

APhA also recently introduced the APhA GenerationRx Award of Excellence, endowed by the Cardinal Health Foundation, which will each year recognize one pharmacist for outstanding efforts in prescription medication abuse prevention. Applications will be accepted later this year for the inaugural award, which will be presented at the APhA 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition. Award criteria and nomination information will be posted at www.pharmacist.com.

APhA will also develop a GenerationRx Preceptor Program, which will engage pharmacy educators in efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

"We are pleased to partner with the Cardinal Health Foundation to help pharmacists and student pharmacists educate their communities about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, and to recognize pharmacists who are already leading the way when it comes to raising awareness of this important public health issue," said Elizabeth Cardello, R.Ph., APhA director of Corporate Alliances.

Cardello said that this Cardinal Health Foundation funding will also enable APhA to conduct workshops on the issue of prescription medication abuse as part of its annual APhA-ASP Midyear Regional Meetings.

"We believe that as trusted health care experts, pharmacists and student pharmacists can play an important role in helping parents, educators, community leaders and teens better understand the dangers of prescription drug abuse," said Jessica Lineberger, manager of the Cardinal Health Foundation. "We look forward to partnering with APhA to engage their members in the fight to save thousands of lives through prescription drug abuse prevention."

About the Cardinal Health Foundation

The Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and international programs that improve health care efficiency, effectiveness and excellence and the overall wellness of the communities where Cardinal Health's (NYSE: CAH) 30,000 employees live and work. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage community service among its employees and works through international agencies to donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of disaster. To learn more, visit CardinalHealth.com/community.

About APhA

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the uniformed services.